04-22-2024
City Council Meeting
April 22, 2024
7:00 PM
Fridley City Hall, 7071 University Avenue NE
Minutes
Call to Order
Mayor Lund called the City Council Meeting of April 22, 2024, to order at 7:00 p.m.
Present
Mayor Scott Lund
Councilmember Dave Ostwald
Councilmember Tom Tillberry
Councilmember Ryan Evanson
Councilmember Ann Bolkcom
Absent
Others Present
Walter Wysopal, City Manager
Scott Hickok, Community Development Director
Jim Kosluchar, Public Works Director
Joe Starks, Finance Director
Sarah Sonsalla, City Attorney
Pledge Of Allegiance
Proclamations/Presentations
1. Arbor Month Proclamation and Presentation of Tree City USA Award.
Mayor Lund proclaimed May 2024 as Arbor Month in the City of Fridley and accepted the Tree City
USA Award for 2023.
Jim Kosluchar, Public Works Director, recognized the many members of staff who assist in this area.
Celebrating Arbor Month is part of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA Program, which has
recognized the City the past seven years for its urban forestry initiatives.
2. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting.
Joe Starks, Finance Director, presented the 2022 Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) which
presents the annual financial information in an easily readable format. He reported the City once
again received an award for the reporting.
City Council Meeting 4/22/2024 Minutes Page 2
Approval of Proposed Consent Agenda
Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to adopt the proposed Consent Agenda. Seconded by
Councilmember Tillberry.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously.
Approval/Receipt of Minutes
3. Approve the Minutes from the City Council Meeting of April 8, 2024.
4. Receive the Minutes from the Local Board of Appeals and Equalization Meeting of April 8, 2024.
5. Receive the Minutes from the Parks and Recreation Commission Meeting of March 4, 2024.
6. Receive the Minutes from the Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting of February 2,
2024.
7. Receive the Minutes from the City Council and Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA)
Joint Conference Meeting of February 1, 2024.
8. Receive the Minutes from the City Council and Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA)
Joint Conference Meeting of April 4, 2024.
New Business
9. Ordinance No. 1421, Amending the Name, Boundaries, Powers and Construction of Government
Chapter of the Fridley City Charter (Second Reading).
10. Ordinance No. 1422, Amending the Fridley City Code Chapter 105, Commissions, to Establish a
Public Arts Commission (Second Reading).
11. Resolution No. 2024-48, Approving a Six-Month Extension for Approval of the Final Registered
Land Survey (RLS), PS #23-01 Petitioned by the City’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority
(HRA) for the Property Located at 5660 Main Street N.E.
12. Resolution No. 2024-54, Approving City of Fridley Park Bench Sponsorship Guidelines.
13. Resolution No. 2024-54, Approving Gifts, Donations and Sponsorships Received Between
March 16, 2024, and April 12, 2024.
14. Resolution No. 2024-58, Authorizing the Granting of Easements to Anoka County for the Rice
Creek West Regional Trail and also Authorizing the Execution of Declarations Related to the
State Bond Financing with Respect to Locke Park and the Rice Creek West Regional Trail.
City Council Meeting 4/22/2024 Minutes Page 3
Licenses
15. Resolution No. 2024-49, Approving 2024-2025 Business License Renewals.
Claims
16. Resolution No. 2024-57 Approving Claims for the Period Ending April 17, 2024.
Open Forum, Visitors: (Consideration of Items not on Agenda – 15 minutes.)
Mayor Lund introduced the members of the newly established Public Arts Commission who were in
attendance. He thanked them for their service and welcomed them to the new Commission.
Mayor Lund noted a comment he received from a resident requesting woodchips on the path around
Farr Lake.
Adoption of Regular Agenda
Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to adopt the regular agenda. Seconded by Councilmember
Tillberry.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously.
Regular Agenda
Public Hearing(s)
17. Public Hearing and Resolution No. 2024-53, Approving an Easement Vacation Request, SAV
#24-01 for Natasha Lawrence, Property Owner of 6677 Lucia Lane N.E. (Ward 2).
Motion made by Councilmember Evanson to open the public hearing. Seconded by
Councilmember Ostwald.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously.
Jim Kosluchar, Public Works Director, presented a request from Natasha Lawrence who owns the
property at 6677 Lucia Lane for an easement vacation. He provided background information on
previous lot splits and lot combinations that had been completed on the property. He noted that
following the lot combination, there are two small easements that previously ran along the now
eliminated lot line and would need to be vacated in order to support the construction of a new
home. He asked Council to hold a public hearing and noted staff recommends adoption of the
resolution as presented.
Mr. Lawrence commented that they plan to preserve the wetland and existing trees to the extent
possible.
City Council Meeting 4/22/2024 Minutes Page 4
Motion made by Councilmember Ostwald to close the public hearing, Seconded by Councilmember
Evanson.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously.
Motion made by Councilmember Evanson to adopt Resolution No. 2024-53, Approving an
Easement Vacation Request, SAV #24-01 for Natasha Lawrence, Property Owner of 6677 Lucia Lane
N.E. (Ward 2). Seconded by Councilmember Bolkcom.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously.
New Business
18. Resolution No. 2024-51, Awarding 2024 Neighborhood Parks Improvements Project No.
24-70457.
Mr. Kosluchar provided background information on the Park System Improvement Plan and the
parks identified for improvement in 2024, noting that the scope of improvements varies based on
the input received for the plan. He provided a brief overview of the scheduled improvements for
Sylvan Hills, Edgewater Gardens, Plymouth Square, and Logan parks. He noted the timing of Sylvan
Hills will be fall/winter because of the planned improvements to water treatment in conjunction with
MWMO but the other three park projects were bid together with Peterson Companies, Inc., of
Chisago City, presenting the lowest bid at $725,600.74. He reviewed the tentative project schedule,
should the project be awarded tonight along with the next steps.
Councilmember Bolkcom asked if the parks would be closed during construction. Mr. Kosluchar
confirmed that the parks would be closed during construction but was not yet sure of the phasing
for the parks. He stated that up-to-date information can be found on the project page of the City
website. He noted that there will also be signage posted at the parks.
Motion made by Councilmember Ostwald to adopt Resolution No. 2024-51, Awarding 2024
Neighborhood Parks Improvement Project No. 24-70457. Seconded by Councilmember Bolkcom.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously.
19. Resolution No. 2024-52, Awarding 2024 Street Rehabilitation Project No. ST2024-01
Mr. Kosluchar provided background information and reviewed the scope of the proposed project
along with the streets proposed for inclusion. He provided additional details on the project
elements and traffic calming proposed for Channel Road. He reviewed the details of the project
bidding with the lowest responsive bidder identified as North Valley Inc., of Nowthen, with a bid
total of $1,480,112.50. He reviewed the proposed project funding sources, tentative schedule, and
next steps should the project be approved tonight. Staff recommends adoption of the resolution as
presented.
City Council Meeting 4/22/2024 Minutes Page 5
Councilmember Evanson recognized that there was a lot of conversation about traffic calming and
noted that while the traffic circle was desired by residents, it was determined not to be feasible.
Mr. Kosluchar confirmed that the traffic circle was not feasible for large vehicles, such as buses and
therefore the speed humps were chosen to move forward.
Motion made by Councilmember Evanson to adopt Resolution No. 2024-52, Awarding 2024 Street
Rehabilitation Project No. ST2024-01. Seconded by Councilmember Ostwald.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously.
20. Resolution No. 2024-55, Appointing Members to the Public Arts Commission
It was noted that this item was a duplicate as it was placed on the Consent Agenda.
21. Resolution No. 2024-59, Approving Donations Received Between March 16, 2024, and April 12,
2024, from the Fridley Lions Club
Wally Wysopal, City Manager, noted that this item would have typically been placed on the Consent
Agenda, but because Councilmember Ostwald is the President of the Fridley Lions Club, this was
placed on the regular agenda to allow him to abstain from voting.
Councilmember Ostwald recused himself from this item.
Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to adopt Resolution No. 2024-59, Approving Donations
Received between March 16, 2024, and April 12, 2024, from the Fridley Lions Club. Seconded by
Councilmember Tillberry.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously.
Councilmember Ostwald rejoined the Council.
20. Resolution No. 2024-55, Appointing Members to the Public Arts Commission (Continued).
Mr. Kosluchar requested that the Council return to this item to approve the resolution.
Motion made by Councilmember Bolkcom to adopt Resolution No. 2024-55, Appointing Members
to the Public Arts Commission. Seconded by Councilmember Tillberry.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously.
Informal Status Reports
Councilmember Tillberry thanked the Fridley Lions Club for their continued donations, recognizing the
great community partner.
City Council Meeting 4/22/2024 Minutes Page 6
Adjourn
Motion made by Councilmember Ostwald to adjourn. Seconded by Councilmember Evanson.
Upon a voice vote, all voting aye, Mayor Lund declared the motion carried unanimously and the
meeting adjourned at 7:54 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Melissa Moore Scott J. Lund
City Clerk Mayor